mmm-yoso – Page 262 – As in, yoso-silly, yoso-hungry, yoso-full, or best of all; mmm-delici-yoso!!!!! A San Diego based food and travel blog. An Ex-Pat Kama'aina and Friends explore food, restaurants, and travel from San Diego and points beyond.

Village Kitchen Revisited – Picks, Pans, and Reruns

March 16, 2016 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants

After visiting Village Kitchen a few times and trying a good number of dishes, I did get the Missus to visit and also revisited with coworkers Calvin and John.

What resulted from the Missus's visit was that we did take-out a couple of times and found that they pack the dishes quite well in decent take out containers! Yay, no Styrofoam!

Not everything at VK has been to my liking, but some of the dishes we had were especially good. So, I thought I'd go with picks, pans, and reruns.

Picks:

On one evening I ordered the Salted Long Bean and Smoked Pork, but when I came home I realized I had something else.

Turns out this is the Sour and Spicy Chicken Gizzards, something that I'd usually not order. Not that I don't care for gizzards, I love them. But there was just something about "sour" and "chicken gizzards" that didn't sound appetizing to me. I was however, wrong, as this has become one of our favorite dishes. The gizzards are sliced thin, with a mild chew, think thinly sliced beef heart. I do love the pickled chilies in this, while not "Hunan spicy" in my book, the pickled peppers give the dish a nice zip. Very nicely flavored.

A wonderful mistake!

Another dish that has become a favorite of our; minus the not so good steamed buns is the Homestyle Baby Radish Leaves. Love the mild chilies and the bitter stir fried radish leaves. The flavors really work well here; bitter-mildly spicy-a touch of sour and just salty enough for our tastes.

The Boiled Green Pork Intestine was nice; the intestine really clean, and the slightly bitter greens added a nice flavor counter-point.

I think this did need a bit more flavor and as nicely as the intestines were prepped, the funky mild-offal flavor was too mild.

Pans:

When I visited with John and Calvin, I ordered the first dish on the menu; Pickled Chili Chicken.

First off, the cutting job on the chicken wasn't that great. It's okay to have bones with the chicken pieces, but make sure that most of them aren't sharp. There was a bit too much bones for my liking. This was also a bit spicy, but otherwise somewhat bland, and needed a bit more soy sauce and something else to make it less one dimensional.

I've figured out that VK doesn't do pork the way I like it. At least based on previous visits and on these two dishes……

The pork belly with preserved vegetable ("Chef's Braised Pork") was not that great, even disregarding the steamed buns we don't care for. The pork was too lean and on the chewy side and the flavoring just wasn't there.

One evening we tried Grandma's Braised Pork. The flavoring was quite good, great soy sauce flavors, the chilies added a nice "green" flavor to the dish. The pork however, was really tough. like it hadn't been braised long enough. These two dishes, along with the other pork dishes we've tried, have made us a bit gun-shy about ordering swine here.

Reruns:

There are of course those dishes we enjoyed from my previous post.

That Eggplant and Century Egg dish is by far our favorite.

VK has become one of the "I'm really too tired to cook tonight so let's do take-out" options for us.

Village Kitchen
4720 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

Seoul: Gwangjang Market and Brother’s Raw Beef

March 15, 2016 mmm-yoso Korea, Korean Restaurants, Markets & Grocers, Seoul, Travel

It had started raining fairly hard as left Myeongdong. But we really weren't through eating. We went back to the apartment, had some tea, showered, and headed back out. This time the target was Gwangjang Market; established in 1905, I read that there were over 5000 shops in the market.

It is indeed quite a beast as we entered and immediately got lost….surrounded by textile shops.

After wandering around for quite a while….almost in a dazed state we found the area that sold food products and some of the "alleys".

Of course there are a ton of food stands…..

Serving every part of the animal.

And then there are the congregations of shops that specialize in specific dishes that have their own "food alleys"; gimbap alley and jeon (pancake alley), where you can watch mung beans being ground to make Bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes).

There was one alley I really wanted to visit. I love yukhoe, the Korean version of beef tartare, so I really wanted to try it during my visit to Seoul. We'd had Yukhoe Bibimbap at Gogung, but I really wanted to try it straight up. So we hunted down Yukhoe Alley, a small collection of shops specializing in the raw beef dish, and chose one that I had read about named "Brother's Raw Beef". The only way I found it was by the cow logo as all the signs were in Hangul.

No English spoken, but the gentleman running the place as well as the woman who served us were very friendly.

And really, all you need to do is put up one finger and say "Cass" and then raise that index finger again and say "yukhoe"……

And in case you wondered about how fresh the meat was; there were three women in the back of the restaurant prepping the beef.

The Missus recalls the beef-daikon soup that came with the raw beef was really tasty…..

But all I remember was how very good the Yukhoe was. Just enough Asian Pear to add crunch and some sweetness, some pine nuts adding another dimension of flavor, the egg yolk lending a richness to the whole dish.

A touch of sesame oil….that's all I really needed.

The beef, while lean was surprisingly tender. This was my favorite dish from our time Seoul.

Brother's Raw Beef (형제육회) – In Gwangjang Market
160-8 Jongno 4-ga (near exit 10 of the market)
Seoul, South Korea

It was still raining when we left the market and headed back in the direction of our apartment. We took a short look around Tapgol Park.

As we were leaving, the Missus decided we needed to head back to Myeongdong………

Revisits – Pho Cali and Coastal Crave

March 14, 2016 mmm-yoso Burgers, Gastropub, Pho, Pubs and Pub Grub, Vietnamese Restaurants

I know, rather strange bedfellows, but here goes.

**** Both this location of Pho Cali and Coastal Crave have closed

Pho Cali:

A recent weekend morning found me in Mission Valley. It's kind of interesting, when we first moved to San Diego, our condo was in MV, but these days, other than the Missus enjoying a shopping day, we almost try to avoid Mission Valley!

The last time I'd been to Pho Cali was back in March of 2006. They've survived the test of time, though their shop in Kearny Mesa didn't last, eventually becoming Pho Nhu Y. Still, 10 am on a Saturday morning……. I thought it would be interesting to drop by Pho Cali.

Funny thing, the service is totally like any pho shop on University….as in, "what you want"……..

Haven't not been here in 10 years, I took the #49, regular, which was $7.69. Basically the proteins minus the rare steak, which I didn't think was going to be too good. What was really interesting was the plate of herbs and sprouts, which has got to be, the most stingy plate I've seen to date.

It was so amazingly stingy….I enjoy bean sprouts in my pho and have requested more on occasion, but this seemed a bit absurd. So, while waiting, I decided to count the bean sprouts…..which barely filled the palm of my hand. There were exactly 27 bean sprouts on that plate. Perhaps I could have requested more…..but really, should I have to beg for my sprouts?

So, lets get to the pho. The broth had nice hints of anise, but was lacking in richness and had way too much msg, the tendon and all the other proteins, including a decent amount of tripe was good. The noodles were a bit over cooked and mushy, but overall, it was hard to over come the amount of msg.

The service is typically perfunctory…..

Such is the state of pho in Mission Valley.

Pho Cali
1400 Camino De La Reina
San Diego, CA 92108

Coastal Crave:

So, I did Mike's BBQ, where I mentioned the beer offerings were much better than Coastal Crave's, which meant I had to return. I try to do a bit of due diligence when possible. This time, I avoided any of the dishes I had before and went with a simple burger.

But first, I can still say; there's not much craft beer here….they count Shock Top as a craft beer….

The Coastal Crave Burger?

Well, this was interesting. The burger was made to a nice medium, but the exterior was almost burnt and quite tough. Really sad, because this could have been a decent burger. Instead, it came across as being a bit bitter. The brioche style bun was good, the fried onion rings ditto….so close.

The young lady working on this evening was a joy; I believe her name is Kristin, or something like that. So maybe, maybe, since it's up the street……though they've got to step up their beers….

Coastal Crave
3065 Clairemont Dr
San Diego, CA 92117

Island Spice, now in Rolando

March 13, 2016 mmm-yoso Jamaican Restaurants

I tracked down my barber, he's now working in the Rolando area. The really bad haircut I had was really starting to grow out…..

In some ways, I'm kinda glad he's moved back over to Rolando. I rarely get out here and really should check out the area more often. Anyway, I had a couple of places on "my list", but both were strangely closed. Thinking I'd struck out, I was headed back home, when I noticed this place near the corner of University and College.

Wow, it's been a good 7-8 years since I'd been to Island Spice and even longer since I've a post on the place. I guess they decided to move from their Market Street location?

I decided to stop by and get some take-out for the Missus and I.

Even though it was just past 11, the place was almost full; it's a pretty small space overall, but there's lots of room for expansion on the patio.

I ordered a small oxtail and a small curry goat, $11 a piece. The portion sizes turned out to be quite generous; especially for the curry goat.

The "stew/gravy" was very tasty, beefy, hints of thyme, not too salty, full of flavor. The oxtail were a bit too chewy for our tastes, but the Missus said that perhaps it was too early in the day, and a couple more hours of sitting would have made them perfect.

The butter beans were really good and we wished there was more of it. In the past we would forgo the rice and beans and just get the steamed veg as we found the rice to be very bland. Well, this time around, the rice had some nice flavor, made even better with a dose of hot sauce. The plantains were fine…….I think they needed to be fried a bit longer. Like I said, you can't complain about the portion size…..

Especially when you see the Curry Goat plate.

Like the oxtail, I think the goat could be a bit more tender, but no complaints about the nice, mild, curry flavor and the goat was nice and gamey.

In terms of flavor, I prefer the oxtails at Caribbean Taste, though the rice and steamed vegetables were much better at Island Spice. The Curry Goat was pretty much a toss-up. There are a couple of other Jamaican places I have on my list, perhaps it's time I get around to visiting them.

Island Spice
6109 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92115

Brussels: Cantillon Brewery

March 12, 2016 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgium, Brussels

For me; there was simply one big reason to visit Belgium; beer of course! And we'd had our share, from great beer bars like Moeder Lambic and Dulle Griet, to a full on adventure (for me) of sorts; having a Westvleteren 12, which many claim to be the best, most coveted, and obviously the most sought after beer in the world, at In de Vedre, the cafe run by the Trappist Monks of Saint Sixtus who brew Westvleteren.

There was one last place for us to visit; the Holy Grail of Sours, Cantillon Brewery. And so we headed off from our apartment in Saint-Gilles. The Brewery is just a stop or two from Saint Gilles, close to the Gare du Midi Train Station. We however, (remember it's the Missus) walked.

Brasserie Cantillon is located in a somewhat gritty, industrial neighborhood, with a mix of various shops for different ethnicities. There's a huge empty lot across from Brasserie Cantillon, which seems quite low keyed.

There was no beer being made on the day we visited for our little self guided tour, but inhale and you'd get all the fragrances; yeasty-bready-sour-earthy…….

We went ahead and paid the 6 euros for the self guided tour; we'd been the first to arrive on this day, so Julie, whom I believe is the daughter of the Owner, was able to spend a good 15 minutes chatting about the building, the gueuze, and even the neighborhood. She explained that Cantillon still uses wild yeast and spontaneous fermentation, thus every year season's product is unique and different. The flavor she explained, "is in the building", we use no unnatural chemicals, our friends are the spiders who control the pests." The flavor is in the building. This isn't some shiny, bright and sterile, warehouse like structure in the middle of an industrial park…..the flavor is in the wood of the building, the breeze that comes in through the shutters. "Terroir" is a much used term these days……I had never really understood the concept as it applied to beer, until this day.

The tour itself was like travelling back in time, barrels of product…..aging for three years stacked along the walls and hallways.

Machinery, some going back to the 1930's are still in use……

For some reason, I found the walls of bottles mesmerizing….

I took way too many photos of bottles of beer stacked on one another.

At the end of the tour, you get a free drink. We decided to get whatever they had available for the day and a Gueuze Sausage, since it was still rather early in the morning and we needed some kind of sustenance.

Man, that unblended Lambic was super dry….so tart…..the finish was amazing.

The "Iris" had that nice "Cantillon sharp sour" tempered with a bit of hops and lemon-honey tones.

The gueuze sausage was better than expected; the texture of salumi, with sour tones like a good fermented sausage. Needless to say, it went well with the beer!

To me, Cantillon is a must visit when in Brussels, you are transported into the past, to how these types of beers used to be made. You walk freely along the hallways and equipment….there are no "keep off the grass" signs….they know you are here because you have an affinity for beer, they respect you, you respect them. And "le temps ne respecte pas ce qui se fait sans lui" – time does not respect what is done without him.

In our day and age of instant gratification, it's nice to know, some folks still understand that good things often take time.

Brasserie Cantillon
Rue Gheude 56
Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium

From Saint Jean de Luz to Bordeaux, a Visit to Bar a Vin, and Goya Lives!

March 11, 2016 mmm-yoso Basque Country - Spain and France, Bordeaux, Breakfast/Brunch, France, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

After a wonderful day and evening in Saint Jean de Luz, we woke refreshed and rested…..I guess this town will do that to you. Before breakfast and heading off on the train to Bordeaux, we took a nice stroll around the town.

Down past the port down to the beach and back around to the street we stayed on.

We didn't know what to expect for breakfast, but it was quite substantial…..great fresh pressed coffee, and egg made to order….all by the wonderful owner of our little hotel.

We bade our farewells and headed off to the train station. Waiting for our train was, well interesting….while the Spanish were rather boisterous, fun loving, out-going….the French as a whole were very polite, precise, and in most cases to the point. We loved the contrasts in personalities….I told the Missus that the Spanish very social personality reminded me of the Chinese, while the more reserved, yet very polite French, the Japanese. Anyway, for some reason folks seemed confused about which track the train to Bordeaux would arrive on, and in spite of all the other folks there, they would undoubtedly ask me….the most "un-French" looking person you could possibly find. The Missus couldn't stop laughing….."je parle non Francais". Strange thing, even after saying that they would show me their tickets! And after the second time, I could figure out where the car they had seats on was stopping!

When we got to Gare Saint Jean, the train station, we found the tram that we needed…it was all easy, as the ticket machines had an "English button" that made selections simple. Then it happened again, folks in line kept asking me, very politely, how to use the machine! The Missus explained it away by telling me, "the French are asking the only Japanese they could find, because he thinks like them how to get to their destination……"

The location of our apartment was awesome, a few blocks from the city centre, bit not too close, and a short walk from the tram stop.

Our unit was not quite ready when we arrived, so we dropped things off and set out to explore. We were also quite close to one of the city squares, Place des Quinconces, and were quickly noticed the Monument aux Girondins, built in the 1880's to commemorate the Girondins from Bordeaux, who were executed by Robespierre during the Reign of Terror.

The column itself is made up of several pieces, each of which has a meaning, from the statue at the top which represents the spirit of liberty, to the three lying at the feet of the horses in the fountain representing Ignorance, Lie and Vice.

From here it was a short walk to the area called the "Golden Triangle". There was a place I had marked on my Google Maps along the way. Years ago, the Bordeaux Wine Council wisely bought a 18th century building near the center of the city. In this building, the wine council holds a Wine School and Classes (L’école du vin), being a somewhat of a neophyte when it comes to wine, I would have loved taking those classes, but it was too early in the season for those.

What we really enjoyed was the wine bar located on the premises; Bar a Vin. First off, the prices were amazingly reasonable….even though we'd find that everyday table wine in Bordeaux was very affordable, here we could have a generous pour of a Chateau Landreau Bordeaux Superior for 3 Euros, then have the Server explain to us what the designation of a Supérieur is; the wine must be aged at least 12 months and the wines are from "old stock:, meaning vines of a certain age, along with the actual land the grapes were grown on being documented as parcels that have been growing grapes for a certain amount of time.

Folks that read this blog regularly know that I'm more of a beer guy, but all of this fascinates me…plus, the Missus enjoys a nice glass of wine…nothing fancy per se, but a nice glass. And with the pretentiousness that sometimes surrounds the consumption of wine, it's really nice to have a place like Bar a Vins. It also puts things into perspective; wine is something for everyday…..

We seem to have our favorite places when we travel. Those places that we visit more than once on our trips…..Bar a Vin, with the wonderful staff, the bright and friendly setting, and the location was one of these.

Bar a Vin
3 Cours du 30 Juillet
Bordeaux, France

We then headed down to the Grand Theatre a few blocks away.

More on this beautiful building in a future post, because there was something that immediately grabbed our attention.

Across the way was a piece of modern art, a bronze head that completely mesmerized us. It was flat, yet looked so real and alive…angles were everything….was it 2D or 3D, or 2.5D? It depended on the angle you viewed it. After getting into the apartment, I found out this was by Catalan Artist Jaume Plensa. It just looked so real that we were stunned…..

I'm still not sure what it was about this bronze sculpture that always got our attention, but we could not help but stop whenever we passed it and view it first from one angle….then move over a bit and check it out from another.

It's always nice to find something you don't expect that catches you attention this way.

We then headed down the major shopping street, Cours de l’Intendance….the Missus loved this street and I ended up spending a few Euros here later on.

While walking down the street, I noticed this……

It was a plate with the profile of Goya on it. Goya? I'd seen his works at the Prado Museum in Madrid, I knew he lived in Madrid, I have a postcard of his rather disturbing work; Saturn Devouring His Son on my desk….a reminder for me that things are never as bad as you think. But why Bordeaux? Well, it turns out that Goya left Spain in 1824, accompanied by his "maid and companion" Leocadia Weiss and lived at this residence until his death. All these facts I never learned in school…..

Down one of the many arteries that feed into the large main street and squares, we found a large church; the Church of Notre Dame (Eglise Notre-Dame).

The Baroque stylings caught our eye and we decided to check the place out.

The interior belies the rather over embellished exterior. I really enjoyed the simple, yet elegant stonework. The light really enhanced the choir, as it seemed to come down from the heavens.

What was interesting, even here, in the square where the Eglise Notre-Dame stood, there was the presence of Francisco Goya, as his statue stands in Place du Chapelet, a few steps from the church.

It does make some sense as Goya's funeral was held at Eglise Notre-Dame….and yet, it seemed quite interesting that a city in France would celebrate the life of a Spanish artist!

Well, at least here, Goya Lives!

Ok, enough of that….by now our apartment would be ready. It was time to head back there; freshen up, and then get some lunch.

Thanks for reading!

A Night in Saint Jean de Luz and Chez Maya Petit Grill Basque

March 10, 2016 mmm-yoso Basque Country - Spain and France, France, French Restaurants, Seafood, Travel

You've heard of Saint Jean de Luz, right? I wouldn't blame you if you haven't…..when I mentioned this charming seaside town; once a major Basque port town, now a major resort and beach town, folks often respond with "huh? Where?"

Initially, I had originally planned to go straight from San Sebastian to Bordeaux. But then I started to wonder about French Basque country and thought a short stop over might be good. The obvious destinations would be Biarritz and Bayonne, but for some reason, Saint-Jean-de-Luz caught my attention. It would be offseason and a Tuesday, so we'd avoid weekend crowds. Whether it's Poperinge, Miyajima, or Evora, we like taking these interesting side trips during our journeys.

Which is how we found ourselves catching the train from San Sebastian to the border town of Hendaye, via Euskotren, then walking over to the SNCF station in Hendaye. One interesting woman spoke perfect English on the train to the border, then as soon as we entered France would only speak in French to everyone. We walked across the street from Hendaye Station to grab a cup of coffee and there she was chatting to folks in French! Train tickets and such was easy as the ticket machines all had English translation buttons and we simply typed in our reservation number, etc….. The ride from Hendaye to Saint Jean de Luz was a mere 10 minutes or so. I had booked a little hotel named Hôtel Txoko which was a few seconds away from the main shopping streets and less than five minutes away from the beach. The owner was a wonderful, warm and friendly woman, and while the room was rather small, it was comfortable.

We soon headed off down the main shopping street Rue Gambetta.

Past all the shops; many of which tempted tourists with local delicacies…..

And gave folks; both the four legged and two legged kind the opportunity to socialize.

There was one place I wanted to visit in the town; the Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Church of St. John the Baptist), which is one of the most important churches in Basque Country.

It was in this church on June 9th, 1660, that Louis the XIV of France and Maria Theresa of Spain were wed in what was an arranged political union, one which ended hostilities between the two countries. I read that little Saint Jean de Luz was chosen because it was just about halfway between Madrid and Paris.

At the time the church was constructed, the village was famous for its shipbuilders. Thus the ceiling looks like the bottom of a boat. There's also the replica of a ship hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the church. This was a gift from Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, a model of a ship that sunk offshore with her on board.

Right outside the church is a bricked up doorway. According to legend, this was the doorway was closed up after the wedding of Louis the XIV and Maria Theresa to symbolize the closing of hostilities between France and Spain. I've been told that the story isn't true though…..

We walked North than headed to the shore. This area is dominated by resorts and Casino La Pergola.

And headed down along the beach…..

And eventually ended up on Rue de la République, the street the hotel was on and the close by Place Louis XIV and the famous Maison Adam which was founded in 1660.

Well in 1660, Maison Adam made the favorite macaroons of Louis the XIV. There's a nice story here. These are definitely not macaroons as you probably know them. According to what we were told; these are still made with the original recipe in mind.

Maison Adam
6 Rue de la Republique
Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France

The Missus enjoyed Her macaroon…..

After a short respite, it was dinner time. We had chosen a shop on one of the side streets that served up what we were told more traditional French Basque dishes of the region named Chez Maya. When I mentioned the place to the woman at the hotel she smiled and said "très bon"…which I believe means very good.

This quaint, rustic little shop was staffed by what I can only term women who will totally remind you of your aunts!

We both ordered a glass of wine and a nice amuse was delivered, a tiny bowl of small shrimp. It's perfect for the Asian palate; very shrimpy and straight forward. If you like dried shrimp; you'll love these.

The Missus went with the Chipirons Sauce a la Encre ( 17,5 €) – a very nice mild briny flavor, the squid very tender.

I went for what I read was the house specialty; a Basque Seafood Stew called Ttoro ( 18,5 €).

This was quite delici-yoso! The seafood was cooked perfectly; especially the shrimp. The broth was like a peppery caldo de siete mares; Mexican seafood soup. It really had that "aaaah" effect. As the Missus and I were halfway through the stew, one of the women brought a bowl with more broth to the table……so we wiped out all the bread sopping up the soup.

They have an interesting fan system in the place that really grabs your attention. Even though it wasn't hot, they turned it on for a minute….just so everyone could see…..

Very warm and friendly folks, with a nice, rustic, comforting meal.

Très bon indeed!

Chez Maya – Le Petit Grill Basque
2 Rue Saint Jacques
Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France

As we rolled out of the place, the Missus decided that we (I) needed to walk off a few calories so we headed back to the beach. Along with some folks with the same thing in mind.

And was rewarded with a beautiful sunset.

The evening here was much different than the day had been; the day-trippers were gone and I think folks retreated to their resorts….plus it was a Tuesday night.

Mike’s BBQ (Bay Park)

March 9, 2016 mmm-yoso BBQ

**** This location of Mike's BBQ has closed

Way back in March of last year, I mentioned that Mike's BBQ was replacing the rather ill-fated LW's SD BBQ. Mike's has a location out in Escondido and I pinged some acquaintances who lived in North County…..all of them used Phil's as a comparison. Which didn't place them very high on my list of places to try….nothing against Phil's….folks like the place, he makes great ketchup (sauce), but it pretty much ends there for me.

I did end up trying Mike's BBQ three times since they opened and have noticed a couple of interesting things.

They have a adequate selection of beer, pretty much paint by the numbers; that would be no sours, no true Belgians, but still not terrible. What I did notice was that the beer selection, while nothing outstanding was significantly better than Coastal Crave's, which is in the same strip mall. Last time I was there was back in April of last year, so perhaps things have changed.

The set-up is rather corporate, but still nice, spacious, and clean.

The folks were really nice on my three visits and I think folks come here to watch sports….so it's become the local sportsbar of sorts.

On my first visit, I went with the Brisket Sandwich, with Potato Salad as my side. The potato salad was actually the best thing about this meal; though I have to say, the portion size was quite large for a "side".

The folks here were nice enough to serve me the sauce, which wasn't very good….much too sweet, almost artificially sweet….I tried the spicy, which wasn't much better, on the side. The brisket was on the dry side, lacking in smoke flavor, the texture somewhat mealy, like it had been par cooked. No complaints about the amount of food, but this really didn't impress me much.

Still, the folks were quite nice and the portion size decent, so after a few months I returned and got the Four Babybacks and Quarter Chicken ($14.99).

So let's be perfectly honest here……the ribs look like they've been sitting around for a bit too long, then dumped on a grill. It was rather gummy in texture. I'll pass on the coleslaw and mac and cheese (which had some hard bits) next time as well.

The chicken was quite moist and had a decent seasoning; though this really didn't pass as BBQ Chicken to me, seeming to be roasted chicken heated on a grill. Still, it wasn't bad….

After giving things a break, I returned a couple of weeks ago. They've done a bit more to the place and it looks quite welcoming.

I just went with the Spicy Sausage and Fries. Like before the portion size of the "side" seemed very generous.

The dog was hot, mildly spicy, and very juicy……this was actually the best meal I've had at Mike's. Not earth-shattering mind you, but ok.

I like the folks that work here, the portions are generous, and it's nice to have more options in the area. Not sure when, or if I'll return to Mike's BBQ, but I hope they do well.

Mike’s BBQ
3057 Clairemont Dr
San Diego, CA 92117
Open Daily 11am – 9pm

Not to beat a dead horse, but this is how I prefer my BBQ from a couple of photos I had lying around……

My baby back ribs…..some chicken thighs for pulled chicken….

A smoked half chicken with a bourbon glaze…..not rocket science…..

Seoul: Bukchon Hanok Village and Hadongkwan

March 8, 2016 mmm-yoso Korea, Korean Restaurants, Seoul, Travel

The forecast called for rain on our second full day in Seoul. This meant one thing for the Missus…..get an early start. We decided to head back to Bukchon Hanok Village as we believed (rightly so), that we wouldn't have to deal with the hoards of tourists. A Hanok is a traditional Korean house, and this collection of structures between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, once the lair of high ranking government officials, Bukchon Hanok Village is full of little alleyways, with these traditional structures, some of which date back to the Joseon Dynasty.

It's a wonderful place to wander in and out of the alleyways during the early morning. Even though some of the structures have been turned into cafes, shops, galleries, and guest houses, there are still many residences here. Which is why we felt really bad seeing the place mobbed with loud tourists….geez, can you imagine if you lived here?

If you've been reading our little blog long enough; you'd know that the Missus loves Hachiya Persimmons and was mesmerized by a tree full of them! She stood under that tree for a good ten minutes trying to will some of the fruit to fall. Alas, there was to be no divine intervention here. No fruit falling from the heavens. So we left Bukchon Hanok Village, taking some of the quieter back alleyways back to the hustle and bustle of the morning rush.

The wind was picking up and there was some intermittent drizzle as we got back to Jong-ro.

We were getting hungry and headed off to another place from my "list". Walking back to Myeongdong, over the Cheonggyecheon Stream.

As you could tell from my previous posts; I'd been seeking out classic Korean dishes and down the street, across from Myeongdong Cathedral, stood another shop I wanted to try.

Hadongkwan has been in business since the 1930's and serves basically two things; suyu (boiled beef or pork slices) and gomtang, a clear beef soup.

The drill here is that you order and pay at the register first, then have a seat. The woman working looked mighty tough…..she looked at me and said "you big…." and then "small" to the Missus. In other words she ordered for us. And frankly I wasn't going to argue as I'm fairly certain she had a ruler to whack me over the knuckles had I disagreed.

As we sat, she walked over to another table and grabbed the bowl of sliced green onions right off it and brought it to us….the guy was still eating! We couldn't help but chuckle…what if he wanted more green onions? I guess he would have had to deal with her and we were fairly certain who would come out on top.

The kimchi here was very good, not salty, mild fermented flavor, very clean tasting. Ah yes, clean tasting, that also describes the gomtang, in spite of the nice fat, and collagen infused broth, it tasted very clean……sea salt, rice, and a ton of scallions for me. Just like Japan, scallions are considered a veggie here. And, as much as I joke about the woman running the front of house, she was very efficient. When she saw how much I enjoyed the green onions, she nodded at one of the servers, who instantly refilled our bowl….same with the kimchi!

Very nice, straight up beefy flavors. This might seem simple, but getting things right is deceptively hard.

Hadongkwan
10-4 Myeong-dong 1-ga
Jung-gu, Seoul

After breakfast, the Missus decided to do some shopping and we wandered the side streets of Myeongdong. And while we saw a very familiar sight…..

Though the Missus really couldn't find the cosmetics She wanted. So we headed to the huge Lotte Deprtment Store….this being the main branch.

Unfortunately the department store didn't open until 1030, it was just getting to 930. We noticed that the Lotte Duty Free store was just opening so we decided to head on over……to the feeding frenzy! Sheesh! It was a huge rush of Darwinistic, every woman for herself, Chinese tourists. We started walking around a bit and noticed many of the women dragging along huge suitcases. Naturally we thought that these folks were heading off to the airport and just making a stop along the way, until we noticed that once items were purchased, they'd open the empty suitcases and fill them up. We saw women literally buying a thousand dollars worth of cosmetics and dumping it into a empty steamer trunk! Yikes! This was just too much for the Missus and She needed to leave…..

We decided to head back to the apartment for some calming tea, before heading back out…..of course crossing Cheonggyecheon Stream yet again. This time we walked on down and along the stream for a bit. A nice, relaxing walk.

We meandered through the back streets parallel to Jong-ro. There are a ton of restaurants down those streets and alleyways. I came upon one which caught my eye…..it was a hot pot place….I could tell they served goat and lamb. But what was that creature between the goat and lamb?

Well….perhaps I really don't want to know. Because I think we've been down that road before……

Hillcrest Ramen Ruminations: Rakitori, Tajima Ramen Bar, and Ramen Izakaya Ouan

March 7, 2016 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Ramen

Meetings in the Hillcrest area meant that I got to check out Rakitori; which lead me to wonder about the Hillcrest location of Tajima and also revisit Ouan. So here we go……

Rakitori Japanese Pub & Grill:

I recall someone; I don't quite remember who, mentioning this place, so I thought I'd give it a try.

This is a nice little spot right off hectic Washington Street….kind of trying to be hip (vegan ramen, bulgogi tacos), a few craft beers available.

Looking at the menu, I believe the place is a fusion of Korean - Japanese. The young lady waiting on me was very nice. When I ordered the Oxtail Ramen, she started explaining that this "wasn't Japanese ramen"…..so I asked if it was like Gori Gomtang……and she smiled brightly and said, "oh yes, are you Korean?"

So here's my Oxtail Ramen ($10), which had everything but the kitchen sink.

So where to start with this? There was the equivalent of perhaps one oxtail worth of fairly bland oxtail meat, really not worth the asking price. The garlic actually tasted really delish in this…..well, because Gori Gomtang needs a heck of a lot of salt added….the salt provided didn't strike me as being of the best quality, making things a bit bitter. And there was a bit of scum as well, though the amount of collagen in this did well coating the straight from Nishimoto noodles (cooked adequately though). You see, no matter how much salt or pepper you add to this; the noodles just seem out of place as a vehicle for moving flavor. And that kimchi mandu, the sour flavor, just didn't go well with this whole thing to me.

The corn was a decent addition adding much needed sweetness to the bowl, the wakame I'm not so sure about.

Good gori-gomtang needs nothing but really good sea salt and a ton of green onions….this, well, had me wishing for rice instead of noodles for some reason.

Rakitori Japanese Pub & Grill
530 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92103

Tajima Ramen Bar:

**** This location of Tajima has closed

After Rakitori, I was curious about how much ramen was available in Hillcrest over basically three blocks, so I decided to visit Tajima Ramen Bar.

Man, remember when this was the original location of Yakyudori…then it became something else…then Tecchan Yakitori and Izakaya, and now part of the Tajima empire.I remember the original Tajima when I had my consulting gig on San Diego (late 90's) and then when we moved here (in 2001). And while I'm not the biggest fan of the various locations, you have to admit that they have a successful formula. And this location is no different. The service here was the most polished and professional of the three places listed on this post.

I like the set-up; basically two "bar" type areas for solo/duo eating, a communal table, and several four tops…..they've got that covered. Nice, modern design.

I went with the standard tonkotsu ($8.50) with the thicker noodles, which to me, would do well with a rich tonkotsu broth.

So here's the thing…I just noticed that I have an affinity for the "chopstick-noodle thing", so maybe you can tell me what other shot I can take? First off, the egg was nice, not perfect, but decently soft boiled. The chashu was fairly tender and actually had some flavor, the temperature of the broth was nice and steaming hot. Not a big fan of bitter fried garlic in this and the tonkotsu broth was really low on the collagen/fat scale. Still, this wasn't too salty, nor did it have that "tinny" flavor of an quick "base" broth. In fact, this might be the best bowl I've had from Tajima in years, strangely much better than what I've had on Convoy. This doesn't mean I'll be driving up here for my ramen fix….but it was a nice surprise.

Tajima Ramen Bar
3739 6th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103

Ramen Izakaya Ouan:

**** Ramen Izakaya Ouan has closed

If I was doing Rakitori and Tajima, it seemed only right to revisit Ouan.

I got there a few minutes after 5pm. I was told to take any seat I wanted. To be considerate I took a seat at the bar….which turned out to be quite, well, like a visit to the twilight zone. To the right of me was the "selfie duo", who couldn't help but keep taking selfies during the entire meal….I counted 9. To the left was the "drunk and obnoxious foursome"…..ripped at 5pm……two of them kept drumming on their plates with the chopsticks and singing along with whatever was playing overhead. And of course, service was a bit slow, so they couldn't help but flag down the Server and tell him, "look….we need your undivided attention and service….you take care of us and we'll take care of you…" Aaaah, selfish and condescending in one swoop! Meanwhile, the "selfie girls" ordered a cold sake….and decided that they didn't like it and wanted something better……like the hot sake! Shades of Navin Johnson, do you recall "snails on her plate"??? But who am I to judge, right?

Anyway, it took 40 minutes for my ramen, which I thought was really weird……even at places like rokurinsha, with a line that went down to forever….I've never waited that long for ramen. Having had some of the other ramen offerings here, I went with the simplest; the OG Ramen ($9).

So, getting down to brass tacks, how was this? Well first off, the noodles, in terms of texture were perfect for my taste. It basically ended there as the two tiny slivers of pork was tasteless and the broth too "shoyu forward" for my taste……I wanted a bit more shoyu/dashi balance in lieu of the lack of richness/fat in this type of shiru. The "onsen tamago" was ice cold, but there was an abundance of bamboo shoots….this could more accurately be called menma shoyu ramen.

At nine bucks, I think they could do better, sad because I love places like this…….but waiting 40 minutes for a nine dollar ramen…etc…..

Ramen Izakaya Ouan
3882 4th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103